Sofa having angularly adjustable ends



Nov. 21, 1950 A. H. HOFFMAN 2,531,045

SOFA HAVING ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE ENDS Filed June '7, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet1 I u velltor WWW Em Nov. 21, 1950 A. H. HOFFMAN 2,531,045

SOFA HAVING ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE ENDS Filed June 7, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Inventor Attorneys Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED PATENT OFFICE- g e11. n n an, Mo r i Application June 7, 1946, Serial No, 67

2 Gains, 1

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements infurniture, and more partieularly to that class of furniture known assofas, davenports, chairs and similar articles,

An important object of the invention is to provide pivotally connectedarms at the ends of the sofa arranged to swing outwardly into a horizontal extended position at the ends of, 31 Sofa to provide extensionswhich may be used as auxiliary seats, and for other purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide outwardly swinging armsat the ends of the sofa whereby the arms may be moved into an out-of-theway position to enable the sofa to be used for sleeping purposes.

A still further object is to provide an article of this character ofsimple and practical construction, which is neat and attractive inappearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise welladapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside ,in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a side elevational view,

Figure 4 is an enlarged front elevational view with parts broken awayand shown in section,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified armconstruction, and

Figure 6 is an end elevational view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 designates theback of the sofa, while the numeral 6 represents the bottom frameportion supported on legs I, the bottom frame portion being adapted tohave the removable cushions 8 placed thereon.

Arms 9 and I 0 are provided at each end of the bottom 6, the armsnormally resting on top of the bottom frame.

The outer edge of each arm at its lower edge is provided with a pin l lpivoted in a bearing l2 suitably secured in the outer edge of the bottomportions 6, the pin having an arm l3 extending downwardly therefrom, andto the lower end of which one end of a link I4 is pivotally attached.

The links M of the respective arms extend inwardly toward the center ofthe sofa and are pivoted at their inner ends to a cross-bar H: which ispivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 16 secured in the bottom portion5 of the sofa, The. cross-bar l5 extends in an upwardly incurredposition, as shown to advant e in Fi ure i of the drawin one of he in Mein connected to the upper end of the cross-bar, While the other of d Lnks i connected to the lower end thereof.

In the operation of the device. the arms 8 and In of the sofa arepositio e vertic lly their normal posi i n, as sh wn y the full lines.in. Figur 1 of the drawin the sofa presents its, usual appearance withthe arms intended for use as arm rests. By grasping one of the arms, thearms may be simultaneously swung outwardly into a horizontal position asshown by the dotted lines in Figure 1, whereupon the arms may be used asauxiliary seats and by swinging the arms outwardly at the ends of thesofa the sofa may then be used for sleeping purposes withoutinterference b the arms.

The arms 9 and I'll are secured against accidental movement in either avertical or a horizontal position by means of a coil spring I! which hasone end attached to the frame 6 of the sofa and its other end secured tothe upper end of the :cross-bar [5, the spring exerting its influence onthe arms to oppose outward swinging movement thereof, and when the armsare moved horizontally the pivoted ends of the arm l3 and links M aremoved past center, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 4, to preventinward swinging movement of the arms 9 and 10 by the spring.

Each of the arms 9 and Ill includes an upstanding back portion I8 and alateral wing IS on the inner side of the arms adapted to enter pockets20 at the side edges of the back 5 of the sofa. The wings l9 when seatedin the pockets 20 provide an interlocking engagement between the backand arms to mutually strengthen each other when subjected to strains andstresses of persons occupying the sofa, and when the arms 9 and i0 areswung outwardly into a horizontal position for use as an auxiliary seat,the wings l9 then project upwardly to serve as a back rest.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of thedrawings, the arms indicated at 2! are inclined outwardly at their upperportions to provide a downwardl inclined foot rest when the arms areswung outwardl at the end of the bottom 22 of the sofa.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of theconstruction, operation and advantages of the device will be quiteapparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description isaccordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though I have herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of my invention that the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A sofa comprising a back and a bottom structure, opposed sidespivoted at their lower outer edges to the bottom for outward and downward swinging movement, complementary locking means carried by the endsof the back and the inner portions of the sides for maintaining thesides in a raised vertical placement against the ends of the back, acommon operating linkage in the bottom and connected to the sides foreffecting simultaneous movement of the sides on a horizontal axis upondownward actuation of one of the sides and means attached to the linkageand the bottom for selectively retaining the sides in a loweredhorizontal placement.

2. A sofa comprising a back and a bottom structure, sofa arms pivoted attheir lower outer edges to the bottom, actuating rods extending inwardlyfrom the pivoted edges of the sofa arms, a centrally pivoted operatingarm disposed in the bottom and attached at its opposite ends to the rodsfor effecting simultaneous outward movement on a horizontal axis of thesofa arms responsive to gradual actuation of one of the sofa arms, aspring connected to one end of the operating arm and. to the bottom forretaining the sofa arms in a lowered horizontal position, and lateralwings on the rear portion of the sofa arms interlockably engaged inpockets formed in the ends of the back to mutually strengthen the sofaarms and back.

ALFRED H. HOFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 46,014 Meyer Jan. 24, 1865167,565 Ramsden Sept, '7, 1875 570,563 Peterson Nov. 3, 1896 1,377,605Starks May 10, 1921 1,390,842 Szostek Sept. 13, 1921 2,289,609 WachterJuly 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,355 Great Britain A.D. 1898 21,956 Great Britain Oct. 12, 1904

